Tambourine

ABSTRACT

A tambourine having the usual arrangement of pairs of jingles, has a handgrip molded into one inner sidewall portion of the frame. Through the sidewall of the tambourine at the grip portion is formed an aperture in which is mounted a bearing or pair of bearings sized so as to enable a performer to position the tambourine on a finger such as an index finger of the performer and to spin or rotate the tambourine around the bearings. A dimple recess formed on the outer side of the frame of the tambourine and opposite the aperture provides an additional support for the tambourine during substantially horizontal rotation. The tambourine shown is preferably a two-piece molded frame of plastic which, as it is assembled, is retained by aligning pins as well as other pins upon which are mounted the jingles. Recesses are formed in the aperture and sized to retain the outer races of the bearings when said bearings are mounted in the aperture of the assembled frame.

United States Patent Brick 1451 July 11, 1972 TAMBOURINE [72] Inventor: Edmund J. Brick, Bergenfield, NJ.

22 Filed: Jan. 19.1971

211 Appl.No.: 107,630

l2/ I962 2/ l 969 Great Britain ..84/41 I Great Britain ..84/4 1 8 Primary Examiner-Stephen J Tomsky Assistant Examiner-Lawrence R. Franklin Arrome \--Ralph R. Roberts ABSTRACT A tambourine having the usual arrangement of pairs of jingles, has a handgrip molded into one inner sidewall portion of the frame. Through the sidewall of the tambourine at the grip portion is formed an aperture in which is mounted a bearing or pair of bearings sized so as to enable a performer to position the tambourine on a finger such as an index finger of the performer and to spin or rotate the tambourine around the bearings. A dimple recess formed on the outer side of the frame of the tambourine and opposite the aperture provides an additional support for the tambourine during substantially horizontal rotation. The tambourine shown is preferably a two-piece molded frame of plastic which, as it is assembled, is retained by aligning pins as well as other pins upon which are mounted the jingles. Recesses are formed in the aperture and sized to retain the outer races of the bearings when said bearings are mounted in the aperture ofthe assembled frame.

6 Claims, 3 Drawing figures PKTENTH'lJuL 1 1 m2 INVENTOR EDMUND J. BRICK TAMBOURINE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1 Field of the Invention In reference to the classification of art as established by the United States Patent Office this invention pertains to the general class of Music and more particularly to the subclass of drums" and even more particularly to the subclass thereunder of "tambourines.

2. Description of the Prior Art Tambourines, as a musical instrument, have been well known for many years and patents pertaining thereto extend back nearly a hundred years. To play the tambourine, the en tertainer or musician grasps one side of the frame and shakes or vibrates the entire tambourine so that the jingles are caused to engage each other and cause the typical tambourine sound to be produced. Conventionally, tambourines have a main frame or body which is a hoop-shaped or tubular member usually of wood. In windows formed in the frame are mounted jingles made of sheet metal and arranged in pairs and loosely retained on shafts or pins carried by the frame. This frame or hoop, when held in the hand of and shaken by the entertainer for a period of time, often causes a holding strain or even blisters on the hand of the performer. To prevent this strain and discomfort the frame of the tambourine of this invention is provided with a handgrip formed or attached to the inside of one portion of said frame. This handgrip is curved and contoured to provide a support for all of the fingers of the hand which is used to grasp the frame. This handgrip enables the entertainer to manipulate the tambourine for many hours at a time without incurring blisters on the hand of the entertainer. Intermediate the ends of this handgrip portion, both the handgrip and the contiguous frame portion are formed with a through hole or aperture. In this aperture is mounted at least one antifriction bearing permitting the tambourine to be mounted on and rapidly spun on the finger of the entertainer.

U.S. Pat. No. 349,00] which issued to Post on Sept. 14, 1886 discloses a conventional frame construction for a tambourine and the mounting of the jingles in windows formed therein. In US. Pat. No. l,434,278 to Barry which issued on Oct. 3 1, I922 there is shown a tambourine having a bent metal handle fastened to the inside of the frame. In this patent there is no description or discussion of the use of this bent member. However, it is readily apparent that this bent metal member was not provided so as to enable the performer to easily manipulate the tambourine for long periods of time. In US. Pat. No. 636,848 to Richards which issued on Nov. l4, I899 there is shown a handle mounted on the exterior of the frame of the tambourine. This handle is bail-shaped and as shown is a sheet metal form having no contour providing for a comfortable gripping support for the fingers and hand of the entertainer. Other means for gripping of a tambourine frame are shown in US. Pat. No. 3,481,239 which issued to Blumenfeld on Dec. 2, I969. The gripping means shown in this patent is a clamp arm which is disposed to be actuated by a foot pedal. In these and other patents pertaining to tambourines, as well as all other tambourines known to the inventor, there is no known tambourine wherein there is provided a contoured grip portion extending inwardly of the frame and wherein through this grip portion is provided an aperture having an antifriction bearing means mounted therein and adapted for positioning on a finger of the performer and while mounted on this finger spinning the tambourine around the bearing.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention may be summarized at least in part by reference to its objects.

It is an object of this invention to provide, and it does so provide, a tambourine having a frame with a contoured handgrip portion provided on a portion of its inner surface. The tambourine is also provided with an aperture through both the frame and the handgrip portion, and in this aperture is mounted an antifriction bearing enabling the tambourine to be positioned on and spun on the finger of the performer.

It is a further object of this invention to provide, and it does provide, a tambourine having a contoured handgrip provided on the inner portion of the frame, and a bearing mounted in an aperture through said frame and handgrip portion, said tambourine preferably having a molded frame of plastic enabling a positive and inexpensive assembly procedure to be established for the manufacture of said tambourine.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide, and it does provide, a tambourine having a contoured handgrip provided on the inner portion of the frame, the handgrip having an aperture disposed at substantially right angles to the chord of the handgrip and with at least one antifriction bearing mounted in this aperture. The frame of the tambourine is assembled from substantially like halves wherein positioning and joining projecting portions of one-half mate with receiving sockets on the mating half. Each of the like frame halves are provided with a plurality of projections and a like plurality of mating receiving sockets.

The tambourine of this invention is preferably made from two substantially identical plastic frame halves. Aligning pins are provided and are seated in formed sockets to position and maintain these halves in an assembled condition. A contoured handle is formed so as to extend inwardly of a portion of the frame. A through aperture has recessed grooves formed therein so that antifriction bearings may be mounted and retained in the aperture at the time of assembly.

A single mold is contemplated as furnishing the mating halves with projecting pins and receiving sockets so designed that one-half frame turned may be mounted on the other half to provide a complete frame. The projecting pins may also provide the rods upon which the various sets of jingles are mounted. The halves may be maintained in assembled condition by means of cement, ultrasonic welding or by the interference fit of the pins in mating sockets.

In addition to the above summary the following disclosure is detailed to insure adequacy and aid in understanding of the invention. This disclosure, however, is not intended to prejudice that purpose of a patent which is to cover each new inventive concept therein no matter how it may later be disguised by variations in form or additions of further improvements. For this reason there has been chosen a specific embodiment of the tambourine provided with a contoured handgrip and an aperture through the handgrip portion. In this aperture is mounted an antifriction bearing for the spinning of the tambourine by an entertainer and showing a preferred means for making and assembling the tambourine. This specific embodiment has been chosen for the purposes of illustration and description as shown in the accompanying drawing wherein:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 represents a plan view showing the preferred arrangement of the tambourine of this invention with a contoured handgrip as provided on the frame and with a through aperture formed in the handgrip in which antifriction bearings are mounted;

FIG. 2 represents a sectional side view of the tambourine of FIG. 1, the view taken on the line 2--2 of FIG. I and looking in the direction of the arrows, and

FIG. 3 represents in an enlarged fragmentary sectional view a preferred method of construction and assembly of the tambourine of this invention, this fragmentary view taken on line 33 of FIG. I and looking in the direction of the arrows.

In the following description and in the claims various details will be identified by specific names for convenience; these names, however, are intended to be generic in their application. Corresponding reference characters refer to like members throughout the several figures of the drawing.

The drawing accompanying. and forming part of, this specification discloses certain details of construction for the purpose of explanation of the broader aspects of the invention, but it should be understood that structural details may be modified in various respects without departure from the concept and principles of this invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawing and FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 thereon, the tambourine frame as depicted is preferably of molded plastic such as polyethylene or polystyrene. Two substantially identical frame halves l and 11 are generally circular in configuration and at their facing and mating edges are formed with eight jingle-receiving cutout or relief portions identified as 13 and 14. These cutouts, as shown, are equally spaced on about 36 arcs. There is also an extent of about l08 on the frame devoid of jingle-receiving cutouts. This devoid frame portion has instead a contoured handgrip to be hereinbelow more fully described. Carried in each of the eight jinglereceiving cutouts is a pair of jingles l6 and 17 of conventional design and of sheet metal. These jingles are loosely retained by and on a pin 18 whose end is retained in a socket formed in either half or I 1. Intermediate the cutouts there is provided an aligning pin 20 which is molded as a part of a frame half 10 or II. A socket 22 disposed to receive pin 20 is formed in either frame half 10 or ll and is sized and positioned so as to be a tight fit with pin 20. The jingle-retaining pin 18 is preferably a molded plastic pin extending from one of the frame halves to seat in a socket in the other frame half. It is also contemplated that the pin 18 may be a molded pin extending from each frame half and at their meeting point one pin may have a smaller pilot pin disposed to seat in a receiving socket in the other molded pin portion. It is also to be noted that instead of sockets for pin 18, short pin portions may extend from each frame half into the cutout and on and over these extensions there may be mounted a short length of tubing which then becomes the pin 18.

As seen at the right hand side of FIGS. 1 and 2 the one hundred eight degree frame portion devoid of jingles is formed so as to provide a contoured handgrip portion. This portion has an inward fill portion 23 which is convoluted to provide finger nesting relief portions such as shown. Both the inner and outer corners of the frame are radiused to provide a comfortable handgrip. These radiused corners are best seen in FIG. 2 with the outer corners 24 and 25 usually being at a sharper radius than the radius provided on inner corners 26 and 27. Midway of the ends of the handgrip portion 23 and oriented so that its axis passes substantially through the center of the diameter of the assembled tambourine frame there is formed an aperture 30 in which are preferably mounted like antifriction ball bearings 32 and 33. This aperture passes not only through the handgrip but also through the frame portion.

On the other side of the frame portion opposite the aperture 30 it is contemplated that a small dimpled portion is formed during the molding of the frame halves l0 and 11. This dimple, identified as 35, is sized and shaped so as to provide a smooth seat for the end of a finger of the entertainer when the finger is used to provide a support for one side of the tambourine as it is spun in a manner hereinafter described.

ASSEMBLY OF THE TAMBOURINE To assemble the tambourine shown in FIGS. 1 through 3 it is contemplated that frame halves l0 and 11 are substantially identical members molded of a suitable plastic. The molded members may be of a like or dissimilar color or may be of any selected mixed coloration. Assuming that frame half 11 is the lower half, this half 11 is placed on a support with cutouts l4 and alternate pins 20 and sockets 22 extending upwardly. Pins 18, if they are separate members are placed in sockets formed in the half I] and a pair of jingles l6 and 17 are then mounted on each pin. As shown, there are eight pins 18 and eight pairs of jingles are mounted thereon. In the lower half of the molded aperture 30 formed in half 11 there is mounted ball bearings 32 and 33 which are nested in the semicircular grooves shown in this half of the aperture. A suitable adhesive or solvent is then applied to pins 20 and perhaps in socket 22. An adhesive, if desired, may be also provided on one or both inwardly facing surfaces of upper and lower halves l0 and 11. The upper frame half 10 is then brought to the lower frame half 11. Pins 18 are fitted into the sockets in cutouts l3. Bearings 32 and 33 are fitted into the provided semicircular grooves in the upper half of aperture 30 and each aligning pin 20 is fitted into the mating socket 22. The upper frame half 10 is then pressed toward frame half 11 to engage the mating upper face of lower frame half 11. After a suitable cure time for the adhesive to be set has expired, the tambourine is now ready for use.

When the jingle-retaining pin 18 is to extend from one frame half to a mating recess in the other frame half and where one-half of the pins 18 are to extend from the upper half 10 it is, of course, realized that the jingles must be mounted and retained on these downwardly extending pins while assembly is being performed. The assembly, of course, may be performed with both halves arranged vertically whereat one half is moved toward and to the other mating half.

It is also to be noted that the halves l0 and II may be joined by ultrasonic welding. It also may be desirable for assembly to be accomplished by forming the pins and sockets so that they are a press fit. Of course, knurled pins or spring pins may be used so that the halves may be separated for replacement of jingles and/or bearings.

Although not shown, it is contemplated that a drum head may, if desired, be attached to the outer face of either the upper or lower frame half 10 or 11. For example, a plastic film may be glued to the plastic frame by one of several conventionally known adhesives. Attaching of a desired drum head may also be accomplished by other fastening means such as screws, nails, clamp rings or heat sealing. For example, it is contemplated that a drum head made of a film sheet of TYVEK" (TM of BL DuPont) may be heat sealed to an outer face of a suitable molded plastic frame. Tyvek is identified as a spun bond polyethylene having fibers bonded therein. This material is very strong and by die cutting and heat sealing its attachment to a frame half may be easily and economically accomplished.

If desired, a thin-walled sleeve which is at least as long as the distance from the outer face of bearing 32 to the opposite outer face of bearing 33 may be press fitted into the inner races of these bearings so that the entertainer has no difficulty in inserting one of his fingers into the aperture and through both bearings. It is also contemplated that a sleeve may be mounted in the inner race of only one bearing so that when the bearing is firmly mounted in the aperture, the sleeve will be free of engagement with the aperture and the tambourine will freely spin on the bearing.

Terms such as left", right, up, down, bottom, top", front", back", in, out" and the like are applicable to the embodiment shown and described in conjunction with the drawing. These terms are merely for the purposes of description and do not necessarily apply to the position in which the tambourine may be constructed or used.

While a particular embodiment of the tambourine and its assembly has been shown and described it is to be understood the invention is not limited thereto since modifications may be made within the scope of the accompanying claims and protection is sought to the broadest extent the prior art allows.

What is claimed is:

l. A tambourine disposed to be grasped by an entertainer and manipulated so as to shake the jingles carried therein, the improvement in the tambourine including: (a) a frame of generally tubular configuration, said frame having a plurality of windows contoured and arranged so that each will accommodate a pair of jingles of determined size; (b) a plurality of jingle-retaining pins carried by the frame, each of said pins disposed to extend between opposed sidewalls of a window and providing means for retaining at least one pair of jingles on each of said pins; (c) a contoured handgrip provided on the inside of said frame at a portion devoid of jingles, the handgrip contoured to comfortably support substantially all of the portions of the fingers of the hand of the entertainer to permit grasping and manipulation of the tambourine for long periods of time without discomfort and strain by the entertainer, said handgrip formed to define a chord-like inner surface wherefrom its intersection with the inner wall of the frame it increases to a maximum thickness substantially midway of its extent; (d) an aperture formed in and extending through the handgrip and frame, the axis of the aperture passing substantially through the center of the frame, and (e) a freely rotatable bearing sleeve mounted in said aperture with the inner race portion of the bearing sleeve being sized and disposed so that the entertainer may position a finger in the inner race and spin the tambourine around said bearing sleeve and finger.

2. A tambourine as in claim 1 in which the frame comprises two substantially like halves of molded plastic with a plurality of pins protruding beyond the joining surface and a plurality of pin-receiving recesses which are at least as great in number as the protruding pins, said recesses extending below the joining surface with each recess sized to snugly engage a mating protruding pin, said halves having their joining line transverse of the axis of the frame.

3. A tambourine as in claim 2 in which the bearing sleeve in the aperture is carried by two ball bearings spaced a determined distance apart and near the outer ends of the through aperture 4. A tambourine as in claim 3 in which the windows for the jingles are like cutouts formed in each frame half and in which there are provided alternate pins and recesses midway of the length of the cutouts and in which the tambourine is substantially in balance around a theoretical axis extending through the bearings in the aperture.

5. A tambourine as in claim 2 in which the frame portion outside the contoured handgrip portion has its outer edges rounded with a determined radius and in which the inner edges of the portion forming the handgrip is also rounded and with a determined larger radius.

6. A tambourine as in claim 1 in which there is formed a shallow recess contoured so as to receive and retain the tip end of a finger placed therein to pivotally support the tambourine when and while said tambourine is being spun on the bearing sleeve in the aperture, said recess being formed in the outside surface of the frame and at a position which is diametrically opposite said aperture.

IU l t i l 

1. A tambourine disposed to be grasped by an entertainer and manipulated so as to shake the jingles carried therein, the improvement in the tambourine including: (a) a frame of generally tubular configuration, said frame having a plurality of windows contoured and arranged so that each will accommodate a pair of jingles of determined size; (b) a plurality of jingle-retaining pins carried by the frame, each of said pins disposed to extend between opposed sidewalls of a window and providing means for retaining at least one pair of jingles on each of said pins; (c) a contoured handgrip provided on the inside of said frame at a portion devoid of jingles, the handgrip contoured to comfortably support substantially all of the portions of the fingers of the hand of the entertainer to permit grasping and manipulation of the tambourine for long periods of time without discomfort and strain by the entertainer, said handgrip formed to define a chord-like inner surface wherefrom its intersection with the inner wall of the frame it increases to a maximum thickness substantially midway of its extent; (d) an aperture formed in and extending through the handgrip and frame, the axis of the aperture passing substantially through the center of the frame, and (e) a freely rotatable bearing sleeve mounted in said aperture with the inner race portion of the bearing sleeve being sized and disposed so that the entertainer may position a finger in the inner race and spin the tambourine around said bearing sleeve and finger.
 2. A tambourine as in claim 1 in which the frame comprises two substantially like halves of molded plastic with a plurality of pins protruding beyond the joining surface and a plurality of pin-receiving recesses which are at least as great in number as the protruding pins, said recesses extending below the joining surface with each recess sized to snugly engage a mating protruding pin, said halves having their joining line transverse of the axis of the frame.
 3. A tambourine as in claim 2 in which the bearing sleeve in the aperture is carried by two ball bearings spaced a determined distance apart and near the outer ends of the through aperture.
 4. A tambourine as in claim 3 in which the windows for thE jingles are like cutouts formed in each frame half and in which there are provided alternate pins and recesses midway of the length of the cutouts and in which the tambourine is substantially in balance around a theoretical axis extending through the bearings in the aperture.
 5. A tambourine as in claim 2 in which the frame portion outside the contoured handgrip portion has its outer edges rounded with a determined radius and in which the inner edges of the portion forming the handgrip is also rounded and with a determined larger radius.
 6. A tambourine as in claim 1 in which there is formed a shallow recess contoured so as to receive and retain the tip end of a finger placed therein to pivotally support the tambourine when and while said tambourine is being spun on the bearing sleeve in the aperture, said recess being formed in the outside surface of the frame and at a position which is diametrically opposite said aperture. 